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APPLICATION FILED JULYZB. |916.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNT. AUSTIN', 0F HABTFQBD, CONNCTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO AUSTIN OBGAN COMPANY, OEHARTFORD', CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

PNEUMATO-ELECTRIC CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nev. 25, 1919.

Application inea July 2s, 191e. serial No. 111,352.

n To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. AUSTIN, a

citizen of fthe United States, residing at ing part of the present specification I have shown in detail one convenient form of embodiment ofthe invention which will be set lforth fully inthe following description.

I do not restrict myself to this disclosure; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention dened by the claim following said description.

Referring to/said drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevatlon of tracker mechanism involving the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section, the section'being on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow cutting the line.

3 is a like view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrow which intersects the line.

Like characters referA to like parts throughout the several views.

The structure comprises a plurality of fixed contacts, movable contacts cooperative with and normally free 'of the fixedcontacts, and pneumatic means involving'a tracker, for causing the movement of the movable contacts against the companion 'contacts Obviously said movable contacts may be operated in any desirable manner: A

As represented the mechanism involves .in

-its makefup a suitable carrier as the chamber2 made of any desired material .such as wood. This box or chamber constitutes a vacuum box or chamber and the air can be l front. has an opening 4 covered in an air` tight manner by a'V tracker bar 5 having suitable openings in it which when uncovered by the perforations of a music sheet 6 put the interior of the hamber or box 2 by way of saiduncovered openings into communication with the atmosphere. These openings in the present case are formed by the bores of nozzles 7 set into perforations in the tracker bar 5 and leading rearwardly therefrom. The music sheet is led for ex ample from the roller 8 onto the roller 9 as familiar in automatic instruments of various kinds and in fact other arts, for as will be obvious, I do ynot limit myself to the use of the structure in the field o@ music.

In the chamber or box 2 and extending from side to side thereof is a suitable supp'ort as 10. Fitted against the forwardly extending base portion 11 of the support 10 which may be of wood, are the butts of spring fingers as 12' held in place in any convenient manner as by the strip 13 fastened to the support 10' as by screws 14. This strip 13 in addition to acting as a securing element also constitutes a conductor, being in contact as will be clear withthe bases of the several spring fingers. These lingers 12`ar'e comparatively light, preferably suiiicient in fact so as to beioperated upon by pressure which in the present instance is atmospheric. Coperative witheach finger is a contact as 15, each finger and contact being part of a branch circuit as will hereinafter more particularly appear. These lingers as will be clear act as convenient means for control-. ling the respective branch circuits. To facilitate their operation the upper ends of the fingers are bowed back as at 16, the bowed portions or curved heads 16 being opposite the delivery ends of the respective nozzles 7. Normally the springs12 by their own resiliency .are maintained in thefull line positions shown in Fig.. 1 at which .point they are free of the cooperating contacts l5.

It will be assumed that an exhaust appliance is connected with the duct or pipe 3, thatthe fingers 12 are yin their normal positions shown in full lines as noted, and that `themusic sheet 6 is traversing the tracker vbar 5. It will be' further supposed that a said part 12 and moving it against the contact 15 to close the branch circuit of which thtry7 forma part.

e necessary electrical energy to effect the action o'f a part to be operated may be obtained 1n any desirable manner, for 1nstance as by the battery 17. From yone pole of the battery 17 the wire 18 extends andl is connected with one end of the contactin and attaching strip 13. The other pole o the battery 1s connected as by the wire 19 with the magnet 20, leaving the magnet and extending to the cotact'l on the left. Ex-

in the manner already set forth to cause theI same to engage its coperating contact 15,

the local circuit'of which they are a part` and which includes one of the magnets described, is closed to effect the consequent energization of its magnet and the attraction of its coperating armature 23. The armatures 23 may be connected with pipe governing means in an organ, piano playing means in` al piano or with other instrumentalities in any t pe of machine'in whichthe mechanism may c incorporated.

While the movable contacts o'r spring fingers 12 are in a chamber or casingcontaining a vacuum and are operated by atmospherie pressure, the invention, as will be clear is not limited in this particular, although the construction specifically described is of advantage.

What I claim is:

A pneumato-electric circuit closer comprising a box, a tracker fastened to the box, having lholes and also having nozzles extending inwardly from the holes, a series of spring fingers, constituting contacts, corresponding with said holes, the fingers being mounted to yielding] swing and their free ends being opposite t e holes of the respective nozzles, and fixed contacts to be engaged by the fingers when respectively forced thereagainst by air passing through the holes of the tracker and the nozzles.

' In testimony whereof I ax my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. 4JOHN T. AUSTIN.

Witnesses: i

T. MAY Norms', Cms. T. Conan'. 

